When it comes to the holidays, the competition among retailers for your hard-earned dollars is as fierce as ever, which is why they have more than a few sneaky tricks up their sleeves to help manipulate Christmas shoppers into buying merchandise. In fact, almost all stores routinely use smell, touch, colors and/or music to help them close a deal.
For example, a shopping study by neurologist Dr. Alan Hirsch found that 84% of were unknowingly willing to pay $10 more for a pair of Nike shoes presented in a scented room versus an identical pair shown in an unscented location. According to Kate Stephens of AlternativesFinder.com, “This ties in well with a neuromarketing expert Roger Dooley’s research showing that 95% of our buying decisions are made subconsciously.”
What other ways do companies trick our senses into buying their products?
Well, AlternativesFinder reviewed a bunch of related studies from organizations including the Journal of Consumer Research and Scent Marketing Institute, and then compiled a list of secret weapons retailers use to entice us to buy their products. The surprising results are summarized in the following infographic:
Photo Credit: familymwr; Infographic: AlternativesFinder
I liked the part about smells, they really have it down to a science.
Interesting article, and helps explain why I spend less shopping on the internet!
Just don’t do your Internet shopping while burning scented candles in the house, Lauren.
When I was in the Wisconsin Dells I noticed a restaurant that used smell. They literally had a exhaust that blew the smell of the kitchen out onto the sidewalk where all the tourist were walking. The place was packed.
Wow, it’s amazing to know how many ‘tricks’ they play to part us with our money. It’s getting pretty difficult to not overspend, unless you are indeed focused on your budget and shopping list.
Fascinating thing with color – my favorite colors indicate I’m a smart buyer with a budget.